RON POPEIL. . . the genius who amassed a $200 million fortune selling products like the Veg-O-Matic, Mr. Microphone, the Pocket Fisherman, and the Inside the Shell Egg Scrambler . . . died yesterday. He was 86.
His family says he passed "suddenly and peacefully" after a medical emergency.
Popeil basically invented the infomercial, selling products from his Ronco company on late night TV . . . beginning with the Chop-O-Matic in 1959. His commercials also spawned catchphrases like, "But wait, there's more!" and "As seen on TV."
Not to mention "Set it and forget it," the slogan for his Showtime Rotisserie and Barbeque . . . and the always classic "Hey good lookin', we'll be back to pick you up later!", from the Mr. Microphone commercial in the '70s.
Popeil achieved perhaps his greatest honor in 1984 when WEIRD AL YANKOVICimmortalized him in the song"Mr. Popeil".
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Photo: tmz.com